Aeroplane runway



AEIOPLANE RUNWAY Filed' Nov. 14. 1923 3 Sheets-SheetA 1 Y I "l cfm O 111927 A. H. BALLARD AEROPLANE .RUNWAY Filed Nov. 14. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet3 :e The latter may,

Patentedv ct. 11, 1927.,

' UNITED STATES ARTHUR H. BALLARD, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,

AEROPLANE aUNwA-Y.

Application led November 14, 1923. Serial No. 674,650.

This invention relates to aeroplane runways -and consists inimprovements designed to facilitate either the alighting or takingoff oflan aeroplane or both, more particularly under conditions where thespaceavailable for that purpose is restricted.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the followingdescription when taken in connect-ion with the accompanying illustrationof one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more.particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional elevation of a 'device embodying oneform of the invention, a portion of the structure inter- Amediate itsends being broken away to reduce tne length of the figure;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1; and

. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional elevation on an enlarged scaleshowing the details of one of the units of which the movable runwaycarrier is composed.

Referring to the drawings and to the. embodiment of the inventiontheresubmitted for illustrative purposes, the runway is carried by a suitablesupport 5, herein comprising a structural steel skeleton framework.

if desired, be erected on a solid foundation, may be provided with meansto check more or less the effect of the vesselslateral rolling, and thesame o r similar means may be utilized on land to check or cushion theeffect of lateralshocks such as may be due to the aeroplane landingobliquely on the run- HForHthis/purpose 4in the illustrative embodimentthe structure 5 is shown capable of a rocking movement aboutalongitudinal axis, being provided midway its width with a plurality ofroller supports. 7 resting on bearing rolls S-arranged in suitablerecesses provided in the bedplate 9, which latter may be here regardedas a part of, or erected on the deck or structurey of, a vessel, tliedire'ction of length of the latter coinciding with that of the runway,although a similar constructionmay be employed on land. n

The structure 5 is `maintained laterally 1n va normal position ofequilibrium by cushioning supports arranged .on its opposite sides.Herein these comprise vone or more upright cylinders 11pivotally-secured at the base 9 on each side of the structure and ca,-

but for use on shipboard it pable of slight sidewise rocking movement,there being provided within each cylinder a piston 13 secured to the rodl5 depending from the structure 5. Within each cylinder beneath itspiston is a compression spring 17, the arrangement being suclrthat onthe rolling ofthe vessel from one side to the other the spring on theelevated side of the vessel compresses more or less, checking orminimizing the departure of the runway from its normal level positionand tending to maintain that position without substantial lateralinclination.

Mounted on the described structure there is provided a runwaypresenting` an up- -wardly exposed alignting and take-off surface, suchrunway being of suitable width to receive the runnin gear of anaeroplane and of a suitable lengt No attempt is made in the drawings toshow a definite length since the principles of the invention may becarried out in a structureof very great length, but, as will beunderstood from the follow-v ing description, the employment Yof thisinvention makes it possible to bring an alighting aeroplane to rest in aspace relatively small as compared with that ordinarily required, sothat the length -of the structure may be adapted to a comparativelylimited space. Y

In the described embodiment of the invention, this runway surface ismovable in the direction ofthe length of the structure and is composedof units carried by an endless carrier. This carrier is com osed ofendless sprocket chains 21 (Fig. 1 one on each side of the runway,extending substantially the entire length of the structure and passingover a sprocket wheel 23 at one end and a second sprocket wheel 25 atthe opposite end thereof. These chains are connected to form a unitarvcarrier by a series of transverse rods 27 arranged at intervals, eachrod bein provided at its oppost'ejends with a flanged wheel or roller 29runnin in a groove shaped guide presented b a c annel` member 31. Thechannel mem ers are secured to the structure 5-and form on eachoppositel side i (see Fig. 1) a closed endless path for the wheels orrollers 29, so that when the carrier ispro elled through one ofthesprocket wheels it is guided Iboth vertically and laterally in afixed path.

respectively which turn in bearings 37 sel cured to the frame of thestructure 5, and one ofsaid shafts, herein the shaft 33, is connected todriving means, as an electric motor 39 (shown only 1n Fig. 2). Thelatter drives the sprocket wheels and carrier through. the driving belt41 and is preferably provlded with controlling devices, hereinrepresented conventionally by the switch 43 and rheostat 44, whereby itma be driven in either direction and at contro led rates of speedN lTherunway surface is herein composed of a series of plates 45 extendingacross the entire widths of the runway, there being one such plate foreach of the rods 27.- As best shown in Fi 3, each plate is movablyconnected, herem by a hinged connection 47 along its rear transverse ede, to a bracket 49 U-shaped in end view (Fig. 2), the plate beingadapted to rest through its opposite transverse edge on the rear end ofthe next preceding bracket 49, so that when the plates are in theirdepressed position (shown in full lines in Flg. 3) they present. at theupper side of the carrier a substantially flat horizontal runway. Thebrackets 49- are supported by the transverse rods 27, there being asupporting bracket at `each opposite end of each .rod and otherintermediate brackets as may be required, there being herein shown (Fig.2) two such intermediate brackets for each unlt. Between the forked endsof each bracket the rod 27 carries a supporting roller 51 adapted totrack with a stationary supporting member, such as the rail 53. Theserails areshown (Fig. 1) as extending the entire length of the structure,both top and bottom, so that they not only assist in sustaining theweight of the aeroplane when on the runway, but maintain at all timesthe proper relation between the supporting plates 45 and theirassociated parts, as will be more fully described.

Referrin more particularly to Fig. 3, the plate o each unit is adaptedto be raised to an inclined position, such as is there indicated indotted lines or in full lines at the top ofFig.A 1), through the actionof the compression spring 55. The lower end of y end is attached to thecured to the under side this spring is connected to and housed withinlthe cylindrical casing 57, while the upper plate 59 pivotally Seof theplate 45. The bottom of the casing 57 is pivoted at 61 to an arm 63, thebifurcated end of which 1s supported on the shaft 27. The opposite endof the arm rests upon the track 53 throu h the roller 65. o

To old the plate 45 flat when depressed under a force suicient tocompress the 'spring 55 within its casing there is provided a releasablelatching means. In the embodiment of the invention herein shown thiscomprises a cylinder member 66 pivotally secured to the arm 63 andcontain' the sliding plunger 67 the latter having a )ointeach triggerlever.

ed connection to the bottom of the plate 45. If the plate is depressedagainst the spring, the plunger descends until a notch in the sidethereof is engaged by the spring-pressed detent 68 carried by thecylinder 66, and the plate is thereby locked in its depressed position.The detent projects from the side of the cylinder and is provided withan enlarged head 69 adapted to be engaged by the end of a trigger lever70 pivoted at 71 on the casing 66and having a depending end adapted tobe engaged by suitable releasing mechanism.

To automatically release the latch when and as required there isprovided a dog 72 pivotally mounted in the bracket 73 secured to oneside of the rail 53 and yieldingly pressed upward by the spring 75within the path of the lower end of the trigger lever 67. When thecarrier is moved counterclockwise lor left-handedly, as viewed in Figs.1 and 3, the dog is effective to throw the trigger and release thespring. When the carrier is moved in the opposite direction and thelower end of the latch lever 70 contacts with the` dog, the latteryields without releasing vthe latch.

their res ctive plates, or may be individ-v ually adJustable, so thatadjustment may be made from time to time in the resistance of- -fered bythe different plates to meet the different conditions presentedbyaeroplanes of ldifferent types or sizes. 1Vhere a spring is providedthe corresponding latching parts described are also provided. One ormore releasing dogs are provided to cooperate with A number of these maybe distributed along each rail 53, but when the orunway is operated asherein described one dog for each rail is sufficient, the same beinglocated near the far endl of the runway or the right-hand en d as viewedin Fig. 1. In Fig. 1 the springs and other connecting lll) parts areomitted from all but two of the plates,

When the runway is in condition for receivmg an alighting plane thesurface plates 45 in that portion of the runway lying within the path ofthe plane, or on the upper side of the carrier, are held at theinclination represented by full lines in Fig. -1 through the compressionsprings 55, thereby presenting to the path of the plane a series o fmovable inclined members y1e1d when engaged by the wheels or otherrunnlng gear of the aeroplane and absorb a part of the energy of motionand thereby check the momentum of the plane.

The near end of the runway, or that which the descending plane firstapproaches,

adapted to` 'is provided with a guide plate 77 which protects lthe endof the-*runway and has an inclined lip 79 extending down into closeapproximation to the ylevel of the hinged seats of the surface plates.This plate, which may be extended away from the runway to any desiredlength, not only provides a -guideway for the runway, but also insuresthe surface plates bein Y pressed into their lowermost latched positionsas they pass under the guide plate in either direction of the carriertravel. At the opposite end of the` runway as the supporting plates 45are carried over the sprocket wheel 25, their free 'edges pass intoengagement with a series of rolls 81 carried by a stationary support 83having flared walls, so that as the carrier travels around the sprocketin a clockwise direction the edges of the supporting plates engaging therolls are gradually moved inwardly, compressing the springs until theyreach the latched position, in which position they are held as theytravel along the lower horizontalpath of the carrier. In traveling alongthe lower horizontal path the plates pass over a series of supportingrollers 85. At the opposite end of the runway there is provided a secondseries ofrolls 87 carried by the stationary support 89, these rolls,however,.being arranged concentricallywith the sprocket wheel 23..

The construction is such that when the motor 39 is actuated to drive thecarrier in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in- Fig. 1 eachsupporting plate is thrown up into its inclined position as soon as itstriggers engage the dogs 7 2, so that, in whatever position the platesmay previously have been, by moving the carrier counterclockwise theentire series of plates presented by the to'p of the runway may bereleased and conditioned to receive a descending plane. With equalfacility, however, the runway may be converted to present asubstantially flat surface by starting the motor.

in the opposite direction and reversing the movement of the carrier. Asthe 'inclined plates engage the flared series of rollers 81 theirsprings are gradually compressed and are latched in flat position asthey emerge from the rollers' and pass over the supporting rollers 85.Th'e continuance of this fiat latehed relation is insured by the guideplate 7 9 before they emerge from beneathf the same. The rollers .87support the edge of the plates as they ascend over the'sprocket 23presenting them in proper relation to the guide plate 79.

When a pla-ne 'alights on the runway yand travels along the same, withthe supporting plates conditioned as shown in Fig. l, it encounters ayielding resistance at each plate whichlis overcome by the momentum ofthe plane, successive plates. moving down and being retained in theirdepressed posi-- tion by their respective latch levers. The depressionof the plates, however, is only accomplished by the depression ofl thesprings 55` which checks the momentum of the plane and gradually bringsit to restV any required extent the rate at which the" inclined platesare presented to the advancing plane. v

By thus presenting a series of yieldableu obstructions within theadvancing path of the plane, and additionally by positively moving suchobstructions in a direction opposite to the travel of the plane, thelatter may be brought to rest within a comparatively restricted sp'aceand by suitably proportioning the springs this may be accomplished by a`gradual resistance as contrasted with a lsuccession of shocks. i

On the other hand,l when it is desired to utilize the runway for thetaking-oli of a plane, it may be quickly converted into a substantiallylevel runway'by first reversing the movement of the carrier and thenstopping the same. If desired the runway may be set in .motion duringthe taking-off of an aeroplane.- j

Preferably the structure 5 is extended above each side ofthe runway. toprovide lateral guideways 9 1 and prevent the plane from leaving the-runway laterally, -such guides being herein .shown as provided withvertically arranged rollers 93.

While I have herein .shown and described for the purposes ofillustration one -illustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to beunderstood that the latter is not limited to the mechanical details orrelative arrangement of parts herein shown, but that extensivedeviations may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

l claiml. `An aeroplane, runway comprising an endless traveling carrierhaving means to present an exposed aeroplane vsupporting` lplane, thesame having means to absorb enway in a condition to receive analight-ing aeroplane, means to place the runway in a substantially flatcondition for the take-off of an aeroplane when the carrier is propelledin the opposite direction, a system of guiding supports for saidcarrier, and means for driving the carrier including starting andstopping and speed varying devices.

2. An aeroplane landing presenting in the path of the aeroplane a seriesof inclined members, springs normally holding said members in opposingrelation to the advance of the aeroplane, and devices to hold saidmembers in unopposing relation when the opposition of the springs isovercome by the aeroplane.

3. An aeroplane runway presenting in the path of the aeroplaneaplurality of devices held in opposing relation but movable out ofopposing relation when engaged by the aeroergy from the aeroplanethrough the move- Ament of said devices thereby to check its momentum,and means to hold the devices in unopposing relation when so moved.

4. An aeroplane landing comprising a runway presenting for engagement insuccession by said aeroplane a series of hinged opposing energyabsorbing obstructions to check momentum and 'convertible at will topresent an unobstructed portion for starting.

' 5.- An aeroplane runway comprising a movable carrier composed ofunits, each unit 'having a plate adaptedl to be held at an inclinationto' thetravel of the aeroplane, springs resisting depression of saidplates, a. latch to hold said plates when depressed, devices to trip thelatch, and a stationary guide plate for the end ofthe runway.

6. An aeroplanerunway.comprising a support with a runway surface, aconnection to said support permitting lateral tilting o't' said runwayrelative to said support, and devices to check the tilting movement.

7 An aeroplane runway comprising an endless traveling carrier havingmeans to present an exposed aeroplane supporting surface, with a` seriesof yieldable obstructionsadapted to yield under the advance of theaeroplane, means to'retain said obstructions so as to present asubstantially flat runway, devices to release the obstructions topresent an obstructed runway, and means to move the'carrier in thedirection opposite to the direction of travel of the aeroplane.

' 8. An aeroplane runway comprising a traveling carrier presentinginclinations to the. path of the aeroplane, means for causing` thetravel of the runway, and means operated i I by the movement of therunway for converting the same to present a substantially fiat portionfor starting.

9. An aeroplane runway having a series of momentumchecking obstructionsin the path of the aeroplane, and means operable by the movement of therunway for converting the latter 4to present a substantiallyunobstructed portion for starting.

10. An aeroplane runway having a movable surface embodying aplurality ofmovable members, with means for holding them to presentv a substantiallyflat portion for starting, and means to release said members by movementof the surface to present a succession of momentum checking obstructionsto the path of the aeroplane.

`In testimony whereof, I have' signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR H. BALLARD.

